New political alignments for a crucial election in Tamil Nadu

New political alignments for a crucial election.

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Lalita Dileep

December 31, 1988

ISSUE DATE: December 31, 1988

UPDATED: October 30, 2013 09:02 IST

In Tamil Nadu, making electoral alliances is a far more formidable task than the tortuous process of matrimonial match-making. The Jayalalitha faction of the AIADMK and the Congress(I) realised this when after weeks of hectic talks their efforts at forging an alliance got bogged down on the question of chief ministership. Neither Tamil Nadu Congress(I) Committee (TNCC-I) chief G.K. Moopanar nor Jayalalitha. who believes that she is the rightful heir to MGR's political legacy, was willing to give up their claims to the throne.

But finally on December 11: the Congress(I) high-powered committee meeting in Madras decided to take a major gamble and go it alone after 15 years. In a sudden move, K. Karunakaran. Kerala's former chief minister and Congress Parliamentary Board member, announced: "Since we have been asked to recommend candidates for all the seats, it is clear that we will fight it out alone." The decision which marks a major shift was taken at the insistence of Moopanar who opposed the moves to take a piggyback ride to power. He argued that the Congress(I) was better placed than it was a few years ago and with the AIADMK badly fragmented, the territory was fertile.

Soon after the decision was taken many Congress(I) leaders who were worried about getting lost in Jayalalitha's shadow exuded a quiet confidence. Says Thangabalu, TNCC(I)'s general secretary: "We have decided to fight alone because the people of Tamil Nadu want Rajiv Gandhi's rule. They are fed up with the chauvinistic attitude of regional parties."

The Jayalalitha faction also heaved a sigh of relief, though a four-cornered contest can shatter its vote banks. Says S.D. Somasundaram, the faction's deputy general secretary: "We were never keen on an alliance because we don't need any crutches to walk. We are sure we can establish our majority."

The Congress(I)'s confidence stems from the changing caste equations in the state. The leadership feels the DMK has lost its base among the Muslims and the Vanniyars. This is because of a split in the Muslim League that was allied to the DMK and because the Vanniyars have launched an agitation against the reservations policy for jobs and admissions for backward classes favoured by the DMK. The AIADMK has also lost its preeminent position as a regional party because of a three-way split.

Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi seemed impressed with this argument and in one of his speeches during his barnstorming tours of the state he announced that Moopanar would be the chief minister. Nevertheless, senior leaders like External Affairs Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao and Home Minister Buta Singh - both members of the high-powered committee on Tamil Nadu elections - favoured till the very end an alliance on the premise that it would ensure a definite victory and boost Congress(I) morale in preparations for the parliamentary elections.

The Jayalalitha faction had explored several other options. K.K.S.S. Ramachandran, who was a powerful minister in MGR's cabinet and now a leader of the faction, was in touch with S. Muthuswami of the Janaki faction on the possibilities of an alliance. The two met but the Jayalalitha faction continued to emphasise that it would not compromise on the question of chief ministership. With these new developments, it is possible that both factions may begin a fresh dialogue.

Meanwhile all parties have begun the process of selecting candidates. Leaders of the Congress(I) fanned out to different parts of the state to interview aspirants. The prime minister has directed the state Congress(I) to finalise the list of candidates before he leaves for China. Now that the party is fighting the battle alone more attention will be given to the selection of candidates and efforts might be made to rope in well-known outsiders. The prime minister, however, has made it clear that he would give more weight age to Moopanar's recommendations.

With over 10,000 prospective candidates from all parties descending on Madras last fortnight, it turned into Ticket Mela city. The DMK, with over 5,000 applications, h ad the biggest list. And in the ticket-seeking game, Jayalalitha turned out to be a tough customer: She demanded that all shortlisted applicants deposit Rs 1 lakh.

If the Congress(I) sticks to its decision of going it alone, the DMK could well turn out to be the major beneficiary. With about 28 per cent committed voters, the DMK perhaps has one of the largest vote banks. And with the countdown to the state elections having started, the determined DMK is well on its campaign march.

For the Congress(I) in the state which has been basking in MGR's reflected glory, battling it alone is a formidable challenge. If Tamil Nadu is lost to the party, the rumblings of defeat could well resound across the north and cripple its morale during the crucial buildup to the general elections.

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